New York Mets - TeamReport

October 18, 2013|Reuters

MLB Team Report - New York Mets - INSIDE PITCH

Though the Mets never admitted it, 2013 was always supposed to be a transition year for the franchise. Of course the Mets hoped to remain competitive all summer long, but they also understood the challenge. Their roster was virtually unchanged from the group that finished in fourth place one year earlier.

Their main goal for the season was to transition their top young prospects to the majors, which they did successfully with pitcher Zack Wheeler and catcher Travis d'Arnaud. But the Mets also suffered several setbacks along the way with significant injuries to Matt Harvey, David Wright, Bobby Parnell, Ike Davis, Ruben Tejada, Johan Santana and others.

"You can sit here ... and talk about the what-ifs of the year," said manager Terry Collins, who on Sept. 30 received a two-year contract extension that includes a club option for 2016. "What if Matt didn't get hurt? What if David didn't get hurt? What if Johan didn't get hurt? You can't do that. You've got to deal with reality, and that was we competed as best we could. I couldn't ask any more out of each and every guy in that room from the effort side, the coaches and their preparation. We went into spring training as we have the past couple years with people saying, 'You're going to lose 100 games. You're not going to be very good.'

"Are we happy with where we are? No, not even close, because we should have won more games. We were in position to win more games. We didn't do it. So we've got to figure out a way to get better."

Given all that, the Mets are entering one of their most interesting offseasons in years. General manager Sandy Alderson has promised Mets fans that he will open his checkbook this winter, following three consecutive offseasons of light spending. So expect the team to be busy on the Hot Stove front, pursuing at least one outfielder, at least one pitcher and potentially even a new starting shortstop.

The uncertainty stems from the fact that there is no telling exactly how much money the Mets will actually spend, just as it is hard to say how many new players the Mets actually need. Due to injuries and inconsistent performance, the Mets have no idea who is going to play first base for them next season, for example. So in addition to signing quite a few new players, they will look to streamline their roster through trades.

Perhaps nothing this offseason will be as critical as the status of Harvey, who is trying to figure out whether he can avoid Tommy John surgery to repair a partially-torn ulner collateral ligament in his right elbow. Coming off a breakout season (9-5, 2.27 ERA), Harvey is one of the Mets' most valuable players and perhaps their best chance at a quick return to playoff contention. Alderson has already admitted that without Harvey at full strength, his offseason agenda may significantly change.

"We've just got to continue to improve," Collins said. "Hopefully our young players can get better as we get along. We know we've got some good pitching coming, and we have to truly believe we're good enough to win."

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MLB Team Report - New York Mets - NOTES, QUOTES

2013: 74-88, third place in NL East

TEAM MVP: 3B David Wright may have missed seven weeks in August and September with a right hamstring strain, but he was still the engine behind New York's offense when healthy. In the first season of an eight-year, $138-million contract extension, Wright established himself as an early MVP candidate, hitting .309 with 16 home runs in 105 games prior to his injury.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: For the second straight year, 1B Ike Davis suffered through a massive early-season slump, batting .161 with a .500 OPS over his first 55 games. Without health issues to blame it on this time, Davis earned himself a minor league demotion and never really recovered, suffering a season-ending oblique strain on the final day of August. Entering his age-27 season, Davis is no longer the team's unquestioned starting first baseman.

TOP PROSPECT: Right-hander Noah Syndergaard, who the Mets acquired with catcher Travis d'Arnaud in last winter's R.A. Dickey trade, was one of minor league baseball's top pitchers in 2013. Syndergaard finished 9-4 with a 3.06 ERA in 23 starts split between Class A St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton, striking out 133 batters and walking 28. He is primed for a midseason debut next summer.

PLAYER NOTES:

--RHP Greg Burke and LHP Sean Henn were outrighted to Triple-A Las Vegas as the Mets removed them from the 40-man roster. Burke, 31, went 0-3 with a 5.68 ERA in 32 appearances for New York this year. Henn, 32, appeared in four games with the Mets in 2013, going 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA.